Audrey Powne: From the Fire

The work of Australian-born singer, trumpeter, keyboardist and composer/lyricist Audrey Powne transcends traditional jazz styles. From the Fire (BBE Music, 2024) is a gem that melds jazz, new soul and soundtrack impressionism with penetrating lyrics to fashion a sonic journey.

One first notices her impressive technique across instruments. Powne's trumpet playing swings freely. Drawing from horn masters, especially Roy Hargrove, Powne interjects a strong sense of the melodic and the blues into each improvisation, which gives them universal appeal.

Powne's vocals are absorbing. There is just a touch of breath in her tone, and she will blend multiple vocal tracks—each one panned left, center and right—with strings. The effect turns interludes and ballads into fantasies. Meanwhile, Powne can throw in vocal "grit" in the upper range, which adds emphasis to moodier passages.

The artist's piano playing is fresh and confident, emphasizing open space with modal clusters and sensitive touch. When the feel becomes more intense, she at times will switch to a simmering organ sound.

While all the musicians on the project are top-notch, special attention should be paid to drummer Myka Wallace for anchoring the heavy hip-hop grooves and to pianist James Bowers for perfectly replicating Bill Evans' feel during "Interlude 2."

Then, there are the pieces themselves. Chords are treated as a palette of overlapping tones and intervals that swirl forward—more exploration of melodic minor modes than a traditional progression like IIm-V7-I. The opening chords of the track "Feed the Fire" are a striking Db min 6/9 to Ab7b9sus4 combination. The compositions may remind one of Robert Glasper's work harmonically. Meanwhile, the extensive use of a string quartet, with each instrument recorded three times, adds a wall of sound to the backdrop.

The lyrics explore the human condition and societal issues. One piece about attention-deficit disorder penetrates the listener's psyche with the haunting opening "take your pills, don't cry." Other subjects confront one with themes of climate change and ravaging fires in Australia, trauma from assault, lucid dreams, cosmic auras, hope and re-birth.

The album is tied together by its consistent yet unique sound, a mood-setting overture and two interludes, and careful sequencing of the subjects and moods. Rarely does an entire album possess such a strong coherence and natural flow as does From the Fire—especially impressive given that this is the first time Powne has served as her own producer.

Furthermore, specific tracks pay subtle homage to jazz beacons including Wayne Shorter, George Russell, Jackie McLean and Archie Shepp.

"Indigo" is the musical and literal centerpiece from the recording. Opening as a ballad for voice and piano, the piece gradually adds instruments and swells in crescendo. Piano blends with organ, forming jazz "power chords," while her trumpet lets loose over voice, strings and drum riffs. Harmonically, the repeated chorus might remind one of Weather Report's "Three Views of a Secret," except Powne's piece is more intense. It becomes evident that she is writing a social commentary, as the lyrics honor "victims of the system on the outside of the consciousness design."

After ten years mainly working as a session musician, the artist is spending more time based in London and touring. With the total concept delivered by From the Fire, it appears that Audrey Powne should be on the cusp of international attention. To paraphrase the lyrics, listen to her "feed the fire... watch it burn."

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